- Fruit shape: rounded
- Authors: A.I. Evstratov (All-Russian Institute of Selection and Technology of Horticulture and Nursery)
- Year of approval: 2001
- Growth type: medium-sized
- Appointment: dessert
- Tree height, m: 5
- Crown: spherical, spreading, drooping, medium density
- Escapes: thick, straight, brownish brown
- Sheet: large, wide, lanceolate, long-pointed, dark green, smooth, shiny
- Fruit weight, g: 4-6
The cherry variety known as Fatezh has gained significant popularity in Russia, especially in the middle lane. The main reasons for the prevalence of this particular variety are the wonderful taste of the berries and early fruiting. Other features of the Fatezh cherry and how to grow it correctly will be discussed in the article.
Description of the variety
The plant is a tree that can grow up to 5 meters. However, his overall average height is 3 meters. The cherry crown has a unique weeping shape. The branches are thin, while the ends are too stretched, which is why they can reach the very ground. The vegetation is dense. The leaves themselves are large, smooth to the touch, slightly serrated at the edges.
Fruit characteristics
Cherries are medium in size and weigh up to 6 grams. Fruits are pink-yellow with gristly and firm skin and juicy pulp. The harvest is ideal both for natural consumption and for subsequent storage through freezing and preservation. Fresh berries can be stored in the refrigerator for a week, while after processing they can be stored for a longer period. They are well suited for making jams and as a filling for pastries and cakes.
Taste qualities
Compared to southern varieties, Fatezh cherries have an equally juicy and sweet taste. According to the tasting assessment, the taste of this variety was assigned 4.7 points out of 5. The sugar content does not exceed 12%. The bone can be easily separated from the pulp so that it does not interfere with the meal. The berries themselves are large and quite dense, due to which they can be transported from place to place without any particular difficulties.
Ripening and fruiting
Fatezh begins to bear fruit only 5 years after planting. The ripening period differs from region to region, as well as how many sunny days there are during the season. As a rule, ripening begins towards the end of June and the beginning of July. All fruits ripen at about the same time.
Yield
Under favorable conditions, the variety has a high yield and on average reaches 50 kilograms from each tree. The berries are plucked together with the stalk, so that it is easier to store and transfer them later.
Growing and caring
Before you start planting, you need to choose a seedling. In no case should this moment be neglected, since it depends on it how much it will take root in a particular area. Therefore, it is best to buy seedlings in nurseries where they were grown in the same natural conditions as in the future summer cottage. If the plant was grown in a place where the climate is different, then the seedling will take some time to get used to the new conditions. Determining if a seedling is healthy is quite simple.With a wide and powerful root system, we can say that the seedling is in good health. The crown of the plant should have 3-4 branches, each of which should reach 40 centimeters. If everything was done correctly, it will take a year or two for the tree to settle down in a new place.
The variety is highly dependent on sunlight, and therefore the plant will feel worse on cloudy days. It also needs good protection from strong winds. To avoid this, it is advisable to choose the most southern places on the site. It is worth noting that small hills are the most suitable place for seedlings, but not hills. It is best to raise the ground level by a couple of tens of centimeters with your own hands. Sweet cherry feels good in medium loamy or sandy loamy soil due to their permeability. In no case should you plant Fatezh on clay, sandy or peaty places.
The planting hole for the plant should be prepared in the fall. In this case, the soil will have enough time to properly infuse during the wintering period. The distance between the pits should be at least 3 meters, and the diameter of the fossa should be 80 centimeters. As for the depth, it is no more than 60 centimeters. The bottom must be loosened, and then a couple of buckets of humus must be added there, which must be pre-mixed with the top of the soil.
Before planting a seedling in a pit, a kilogram of ash, 400 grams of superphosphate and 100 grams of sodium sulfate must be added to it. To provide the plant with a comfortable environment, add 2 buckets of sand and 2 buckets of clay to the soil, and then cover it with potting soil.
Follow the instructions below during planting. First of all, you need to put a small stake, which will serve as a support for the plant. In the center of the hole, you need to make a small hill, and the seedling itself is already placed on it. The roots must be spread out. Finally, the seedling is tied to a peg, after which it must be carefully covered with earth. The root collar should be 5 centimeters higher than the soil level. At the end, you need to make a small earthen roller. Now, for comfortable conditions, the plant lacks only timely and abundant watering, as well as feeding with humus or peat.
Disease and pest resistance
One of the main advantages of the variety is its strong resistance to many diseases, from which other plants often suffer, as well as to most pests. However, Fatezh is at the same time vulnerable to gum flow. This happens for several reasons: due to external damage, a large amount of moisture, fungi, or even due to rough and inaccurate pruning of branches.
In order to avoid this, it is enough to make sure that the old bark remains on the tree, since it has the best protection. In spring and autumn, it is best to whitewash the entire trunk to avoid sunburn, especially if the summer is too hot. Wrapping the branches with paper is well suited as protection against cold snap.
Do not panic if, despite all the precautions, the plant has become infected. In this case, you need to carefully clean the wound with a knife, and then process it with a solution of copper sulfate. Over time, the plant itself will cope with the disease. The main thing is to remember that in order to fight any disease, it is imperative to eliminate the causes of the appearance of the disease itself.
In all other respects, Fatezh is characterized by stability and good resistance to both adverse conditions and pests and diseases. For example, cherry varieties are often vulnerable to fungal diseases, while Fatezh is well protected from them.